Vol. 22 No. 4 (2025): Quarterly Issue 3

South African higher education institutions face persistent challenges including political tensions, neoliberal reforms, and racial inequalities. Within this context, postgraduate students often encounter barriers such as inadequate

South African higher education institutions face persistent challenges including political tensions, neoliberal reforms, and racial inequalities. Within this context, postgraduate students often encounter barriers such as inadequate funding, access disparities, and limited psychosocial and academic support. This study investigates the impact of structured writing retreats on students’ self-efficacy in academic writing. Grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory and guided by the Kirkpatrick evaluation model, focus group interviews were conducted with 49 master’s and doctoral students who attended five-day writing retreats. Findings reveal that these retreats enhanced students’ confidence, improved writing habits, and fostered peer collaboration. Free-writing sessions disrupted cycles of procrastination and perfectionism, while tools like reflective journals and instructional videos supported the development of academic writing skills. Access to disciplinary expertise and ongoing communication also played a motivating role. Additionally, the study emphasises the importance of responsive supervision that encourages student autonomy while offering structured guidance. The findings advocate for integrating writing retreats and relational supervision practices into institutional frameworks to support postgraduate success and timely degree completion.

Academic writing is integral to student achievement in higher education. Despite a move towards enhanced transparency in assessment, little is known about how writing is represented in the grading criteria of the various university

Academic writing is integral to student achievement in higher education. Despite a move towards enhanced transparency in assessment, little is known about how writing is represented in the grading criteria of the various university disciplines. This qualitative study analyses criteria to uncover how writing expectations are presented within them. First, we reveal what facets of writing are included in the criteria. Second, we identify three issues: a mismatch between the level of challenge and the grade awarded; inconsistencies within criteria in terms of what is being graded; and ambiguities in terms of the language used. We interpret these findings through the conceptual lenses of non-formal learning and tacit knowledge and argue that professional development activities for lecturers need to be designed to render tacit knowledge of academic writing explicit. Our paper is a catalyst for university departmental discussion as to what constitutes quality writing for a specific assignment, and how those expectations might be better conveyed through rubrics.

Student evaluations of teaching (SET) surveys are a widely debated tool used by universities worldwide for quality assurance and improvement. Low response rates often result in non-response bias, significantly undermining their validity

Student evaluations of teaching (SET) surveys are a widely debated tool used by universities worldwide for quality assurance and improvement. Low response rates often result in non-response bias, significantly undermining their validity. While numerous evidence-based strategies exist to improve response rates, the importance of achieving higher rates to enhance the usefulness of these surveys is frequently underestimated, and applying these strategies across all subjects can be time-consuming and costly. Previous research has not specifically explored whether interventions in one subject could encourage greater student participation in SETs for other concurrently studied subjects. In this study at an Australian metropolitan university, we demonstrate that by targeting key health subjects with a combination of three evidence-based strategies, response rates almost doubled in both targeted and untargeted subjects the same students were studying. This also enhanced response quality, as measured by the length and lexical diversity of open-ended responses. The improved response rates for all subjects were observed regardless of learning modes (blended or online-only), enrolment type (undergraduate or postgraduate), or whether students were on placement. These findings suggest that targeted interventions could encourage students to complete all their SET surveys. The benefits are clear: increased survey participation across multiple subjects can reduce non-respondent bias while minimising the burden of survey promotion. Our study contributes to the body of knowledge guiding university decision-makers in increasing student feedback to improve teaching quality.

The teaching practices of practitioner architects who teach design (known as tutors) are critiqued for being inconsistent, solely based on their own educational experiences, and therefore teacher centred. This observational study makes

The teaching practices of practitioner architects who teach design (known as tutors) are critiqued for being inconsistent, solely based on their own educational experiences, and therefore teacher centred. This observational study makes visible the give and take that occurs in design studios and provides a behavioural perspective. Observations of student-tutor interactions at four Australian universities enabled direct exploration of the phenomena of design teaching as it occurred. Data was collected via video recordings, fieldnotes, and spatial mapping. Employing the lens of practice theory, the analysis consisted of a series of transcriptions illustrating position, talk, pauses, gestures, gaze, shared materials such as study models, drawings, diagrams on tracing sheets and sketchbooks, and laptops and computers, and what students do while the tutor discusses with another student. The key findings of this study are that practitioner architects who teach design improvise during interactions with students. They make evaluative judgements about how to operate within specific settings and manage their behaviours to co-construct design knowledge. While spontaneous, such practices are not simply ‘anything goes.’ Rather, improvisation is a creative response to unfolding situations and occurs within established structures and formats. The significance of this study is that it enables seeing reflection-in-action in a new light, offers an architectural lens towards conversations on practice theory, and provides a unique research method for observation of teaching behaviours and practices.

We examined the experiences of 16 PhD demonstrators from Russell and non-Russell universities, exploring teaching benefits and challenges, dual student-teacher identities, and opinions on the “demonstrator” title. Through interviews and

We examined the experiences of 16 PhD demonstrators from Russell and non-Russell universities, exploring teaching benefits and challenges, dual student-teacher identities, and opinions on the “demonstrator” title. Through interviews and reflexive thematic analysis, four themes were found: 1) ambiguity in the demonstrator label persists despite the GTA alternative, reflecting a disconnect between title and role, 2) the unpredictability, heavy workload, and lack of freedom in the role contribute to stress and diminish enjoyment for demonstrators, 3) feelings of being unsupported due to inadequate preparation, lack of recognition, poor treatment by staff, and the burdens of casualised contracts, 4) positive aspects including the unique demonstrator-student relationship, skill development, mentorship, supportive community, and flexible scheduling that provides a break from PhD work. The study highlights the importance of recognizing the dual identity, finding a label that reflects their responsibilities, addressing stress factors, and enhancing support and recognition for individuals within these roles.

In this paper I analyse the voices of higher and vocational education practitioners and stakeholders in the micro-credentials arena to answer the research question: What are the possible affordances, complexities and limitations of

In this paper I analyse the voices of higher and vocational education practitioners and stakeholders in the micro-credentials arena to answer the research question: What are the possible affordances, complexities and limitations of micro-credentials? Micro-credentials are small pieces of recognised learning and assessment (European Commission, 2020) that can function as an agent of change for better or worse (Desmarchelier & Cary, 2022, Gibson et al., 2016, Hanshaw, 2024, McGreal & Olcott, 2022, Pollard & Vincent, 2022, Ralston, 2021, Wilson et al., 2016). There is a gap in the literature on the possible affordances, complexities and limitations of micro-credentials experienced in practice and following the voices of practitioners’ lived experience points bring us to understanding new ways of doing things (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). My data collection involved semi-structured interviews with ten participants from Aotearoa New Zealand and Canada who were experts or stakeholders in micro-credentialing development. By using Reflexive Thematic Analyses and Qualitative Descriptive Research, I uncover and present themes, which indicate multiple powerful and positive affordances which act as catalysts to micro-credential development, and numerous associated complexities/limitations which act as inhibitors, and investigate the relationship between them. Looking through the lenses of power/knowledge, which is practised in society as a strategy to exert control over others (Foucault, 1980) and disruptive innovations, which create footholds in markets where no market existed, (Christensen et al., 2015), I explore a possible motivational context behind these inhibitors. Finally, I propose how we might better leverage the successful build out of powerful micro-credentials, to the betterment of the human experience.

The quality of student-university relationships can significantly influence student engagement and experience, yet cross-cultural differences remain underexplored. This study examined Dutch (n = 407, Mage = 22.2) and French students (n =

The quality of student-university relationships can significantly influence student engagement and experience, yet cross-cultural differences remain underexplored. This study examined Dutch (n = 407, Mage = 22.2) and French students (n = 394, Mage = 22.9), focusing on their relationship quality perceptions with staff and its impact on engagement. A quantitative correlational research design was adopted, using the Relationship Quality Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students, and the Relationship Quality-Based Student Loyalty Scale. The results showed that students' trust in their university and professors, alongside academic motivation, strongly predicted overall satisfaction with the institution and its programs. Motivation mediated this relationship, explaining 18% of the variance in satisfaction. French students reported higher motivation and more positive perceptions of their university than Dutch students. The study underscores the importance of trust and support in fostering student satisfaction while highlighting cultural differences in engagement and institutional perception.

This study investigates how generative AI (GenAI) integration within Design Thinking pedagogy transforms undergraduate students' creativity, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning. Using mixed methods analysis of 112 student reflections

This study investigates how generative AI (GenAI) integration within Design Thinking pedagogy transforms undergraduate students' creativity, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning. Using mixed methods analysis of 112 student reflections from a 12-week course, we examined experiences with GenAI tools such as ChatGPT and DALL·E across Design Thinking's five stages. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes: Perceived Benefits (enhanced creativity and accessibility), Ethical Concerns (bias and authorship ambiguity), Hesitance & Acceptance (evolution from scepticism to strategic adoption), and Critical Validation (development of epistemic vigilance). Sentiment analysis showed 86% positive responses, though ethical concerns generated significant negative sentiment (62%). Findings demonstrate that GenAI, when pedagogically scaffolded, augments rather than replaces human judgment. Students evolved from passive users to critical evaluators, developing strategies for bias detection and source validation. The study challenges traditional cognitive taxonomies and calls for reimagining AI literacy as a multidimensional competence encompassing creativity, ethics, and critical reasoning essential for navigating AI-mediated learning environments

The arrival of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into higher education has significantly transformed assessment practices and pedagogical approaches. Large Language Models (LLMs) powered by GenAI present unprecedented

The arrival of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into higher education has significantly transformed assessment practices and pedagogical approaches. Large Language Models (LLMs) powered by GenAI present unprecedented opportunities for personalised learning journeys. However, the emergence of GenAI in higher education raises concerns regarding academic integrity and the development of essential cognitive and creative skills among students. Critics worry about the potential decline in academic standards and the perpetuation of biases inherent in the training sets used for LLMs. Addressing these concerns requires clear frameworks and continual evaluation and updating of assessment practices to leverage GenAI's capabilities while preserving academic integrity. Here, we evaluated the integration of GenAI into a year-long MSc program to enhance student understanding and confidence in using GenAI. Approaching GenAI as a digital competency, its use was integrated into core skills modules across two semesters, focusing on ethical considerations, prompt engineering, and tool usage. The assessment tasks were redesigned to incorporate GenAI, which takes a process-based assessment approach. Students' perceptions were evaluated alongside skills audits, and they reported increased confidence in using GenAI. Thematic analysis of one-to-one interviews revealed a cyclical relationship between students' usage of GenAI, experience, ethical considerations, and learning adaptation.

There is a recognised disconnect between the learning analytics that are routinely collected by higher education institutions, and their application in improving learning and teaching. The effectiveness of presenting learning analytics in

There is a recognised disconnect between the learning analytics that are routinely collected by higher education institutions, and their application in improving learning and teaching. The effectiveness of presenting learning analytics in dashboards, either student-facing or teacher-facing, has been questioned, with student-facing dashboards sometimes leading to negative outcomes, and teachers struggling to convert dashboard indicators into actions that improve learning. Likewise, analytics used in early-warning systems to identify at-risk students can be overly reliant on demographic or past performance data, and not responsive to unit-specific learning conditions, which are likely to be more significant when it comes to improving engagement and performance. An alternative approach to using learning analytics is to afford teachers the ability to use data for tailoring messages to students in a fashion and rhythm that best suits the specific pattern of learning activities and assessments within a particular unit. Following an approach such as this, the Student Relationship Engagement System (SRES) has been in use at the University of Sydney since 2011. We analysed six years of students’ feedback comments on what they found useful about email messages they received via SRES, and found that they most appreciated personalised feedback, which they frequently indicated would help them improve in future assessments. They also signalled that timely reminders and clarifications of unit requirements were helpful, and they valued the encouragement, motivation, and sense of connectedness the messages conveyed. To our knowledge this is the first large-corpus study of student perceptions of this type of learning analytics application.

Nearly a third of Australian university students are international and are major contributors to Australia’s economy. Focusing on population rates, this paper explores the contribution of international student enrolment in Australian

Nearly a third of Australian university students are international and are major contributors to Australia’s economy. Focusing on population rates, this paper explores the contribution of international student enrolment in Australian universities to global higher education equity. Findings indicate that, in 2022, the median rates of international student enrolment per 100,000 population were highest for the Indian subcontinent and lowest for Sub-Saharan Africa. National rates varied from 0.03 to 403 per 100,000 of the population. There were no indications of regional or national patterns with gross domestic product (GDP), proportion of GDP spent on education or access to national higher education, apart from some high GDP countries with high rates of student enrolment in Australia. Repeating the analyses for 2019 and restricting the population to ages 15-24 made no substantial difference. Given the high fees for international students, these results indicate that individual ability to pay is the most important predictor of becoming an international student in Australian universities. This paper argues that Australia should develop a strategy for international higher education based on global need rather than solely Australia’s economic benefit.

In a world grappling with environmental and social challenges, the role of Responsible Management Education (RME) remains underexplored in emerging markets such as India. While existing studies focus on the transformative effects of RME on

In a world grappling with environmental and social challenges, the role of Responsible Management Education (RME) remains underexplored in emerging markets such as India. While existing studies focus on the transformative effects of RME on students, research on its impact on faculty in higher education institutions (HEIs) is limited. This study combines Mezirow’s transformative learning theory with DiMaggio and Powell’s institutional pressures theory to conceptualise faculty transformation pathways. A survey completed by 508 Indian business school faculty, analysed using structural equation modelling, found that mimetic, coercive, and normative pressures influence faculty ‘habits of mind’, but motivation is key for RME-driven transformation. Additionally, 19 semi-structured interviews with recruiters of new management graduates indicate that HEIs must refine their pedagogical approaches to enhance the impact of RME, even though students are increasingly aware of sustainable development issues, mainly through social media.

Social loafing, the tendency for individuals to put in less effort when working in a group compared to working alone, is amplified by various challenges in online learning environments. These challenges include maintaining engagement

Social loafing, the tendency for individuals to put in less effort when working in a group compared to working alone, is amplified by various challenges in online learning environments. These challenges include maintaining engagement, reduced task visibility, and the physical distance created by technology, all of which can encourage some group members to contribute less. The absence of face-to-face interaction can lead to feelings of isolation and reduced accountability, further complicating group dynamics. Through a qualitative approach, this research explores how online psychology students perceive and experience social loafing during group assessments. Semi-structured focus groups with nine participants from a Graduate Diploma of Psychology program were conducted to co-create possible solutions to social loafing in online group assessments. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, four themes were developed. These themes reflect students’ interest in co-creating solutions that suit an online (mostly asynchronous) context. Students recommended alternative channels to communication (such as social media) as learning technologies native to the LMS can create barriers to engagement. Students prefer to reduce the weighting of group grade and balance their grade against their individual contribution. Evaluative judgement training is needed to improve peer assessment of group contributions. Online students require more investment/facilitation in the group introduction stage, as their competing demands mean they are less able to synchronously meet.

The motivational climate in a course can affect students’ motivation, engagement, and performance in the course. To examine if the motivational climate in a computer science course varied by gender or students’ high school experiences, we

The motivational climate in a course can affect students’ motivation, engagement, and performance in the course. To examine if the motivational climate in a computer science course varied by gender or students’ high school experiences, we assessed motivational climate across 4 time points and compared students’ responses by gender and experience in computer science. The purpose of this article is to present the results of this mixed-methods survey study and to provide an example of how instructors can assess motivational climate to investigate potential differences among groups of students. We measured motivational climate using the MUSIC Model of Motivation Inventory, which measures five motivational climate perceptions: eMpowerment, Usefulness, Success, Interest, and Caring (MUSIC is an acronym). All of these MUSIC perceptions decreased significantly across the semester, except for interest. Empowerment and success decreased across the semester for all students. Success expectancies were significantly lower for women and for those without high school computer science experience. On average, perceptions of usefulness and caring decreased across the semester for women. These findings indicate that the course design may have had a more negative effect on women than men. The instructor could use these results to address these course perceptions in ways that foster a motivational climate that is more equitable and inclusive of all students.